Flush receptacle



Sept. 5, 1933. 5 w, GOODRIDGE 1,926,001

FLUSH RECEPTACLE Filed June 29, 1928 INVENTOR GILBERT w. GOODRIDGE,

Patented Sept. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,920,001 FLusn RECEPTACLE Application June 29, 1928. Serial No. 289,257

4 Claim.

This invention relates to a wiring device commonly known as a flush receptacle and used as a wall outlet to which may be attached, by

' means of a plug or cap, the lead wires of an electrical device used in the room.

Before this time, flush receptacles have generally consisted of an insulating base in which were mounted the terminals for the main lead wires and the contact members which the terminal blades of the plug or cap engaged when inserted through the openings in the receptacle. The base of such receptacles had also a boss, slotted in register with the contacts secured in the base to receive the terminal blades or other contact elements of the plug or cap. To complete the device and to give it a pleasing appearance, a face plate was provided. The plate was apertured so that the boss, in WhlCILWBlG the slots or openings permitting access of the cap contacts to the base contacts, would lie flush with the outer side of the face plate.

The construction just described was in general use for it permitted the wiring of the building to be completed before the wall finishing work was done. With the base in place in the outlet box and with its terminals connected to the interior wires, the receptacle was ready for use. When the wall finishing workpainting, papering and the likewas completed, the face plate could be secured in place to serve as a cover for the rough opening in the wall. An example of this receptacle is the one shown in the patent to Hubbell 793,197.

Such devices however, were not altogether attractive in appearance in spite of the general use of metal face plates which could be given various colors and surface finishes. The central boss, made of insulating material in order to shield the base contacts, always stood out in contrast to the metal plate and limited the possibilities of improving the appearance of the receptacle.

More recently, the use of phenolic condensation products which have the triple capability of serving as insulators, of receiving an attractive surface finish, either smooth or roughened, and of being molded in thin plates has led to attempts to 'make the face plate of these receptacles of such a material and to make it integral with the base in order to avoid the opening for the slotted boss on the base. Following the former practice, makers of such receptacles have secured the base contacts in the portion of the receptacle containing the openings for entrance of the cap terminals. Such a receptacle is shown in the patent to Ile 1,633,668.

While such a construction gave a greatly improved appearance and had certain advantages in the ease of molding the plate and base portions as a unit, it entailed a serious disadvantage in that it was necessary to put the face plate in position when the receptacle was wired up to the interior leads. Therefore when the wall finishing work was done, the face plate often became spotted with paint or plaster and was a source of trouble to the finishers in the care required to work around it.

The object therefore of the present invention is to provide a receptacle which utilizes, for the face plate, such insulating substances as phenolic condensation products and which has an unapertured face plate except for the openings for the cap terminals, yet which retains the advantages of the older receptacles in permitting 7 the contact and terminal carrying parts to be put in the wall first and permits the face plate to be put in place after the wall finishing work is done.

It is a further object to provide a receptacle which, while attaining the above object, will be simple and rugged and capable of including all of the features of contact and terminal construction to meet the underwriters requirements.

The preferred embodiment of this invention is described hereinafter and is illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawing.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a perspective view of one unit of a two unit duplex receptacle and Figure 2 is a perspective view of the complementary unit of the same receptacle, these views being taken to show the co-operating elements on the inner sides of the units;

Figure 3 is a view of the receptacle from the front as it would appear in place against a wall;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

The receptacle shown here has a face plate 10 and, on the side of the plate toward the wall, bosses 12 and 13, each of which is recessed to form wells 14, 15 and 16, 17 ending short of the plane of the inner face 18. In another aspect, parts 12, 13 may be considered as walls forming mutually insulated wells 14-l7. In register with these recesses are T shaped slots for reception of either of the two common types of contact blades used with attachment caps. Between the recessed bosses 12, 13 is a raised portion 19 which adds to the strength of the plate. The plate has bevelled no edges 20 as is the common practice. The entire unit described above and shown in Figure l is an integral thing and is made by molding such a substance as a phenolic condensation product.

The complementary part of the receptacle is assembled as a unit and is secured to the face plate 10 by a screw 21 extending through a hole 22 and into a central threaded hole 23 in the insulating body 24.

The body 24 is of moldable insulating material and is recessed to provide four wells 25, 26, 27 and 28 extending through the base and spaced to register respectively with the recesses 14, 15, 16, 17 of the face plate. This body has a central boss 29 of sufllcient thickness to rest against the raised portion 19 on the face plate when the body 24 is secured thereto by screw 21.

Unitary contacts and lead wire terminals of known type are secured to the body 24 in such manner that there is a contact member in each of the wells 25-28. These contact members may extend beyond the face of the body as shown though that is not necessary. The two base contacts 30, 31 are connected by one conductive member and contacts 32, 33 by another, the two connecting members being separate. As shown here, the lead wires are to be attached to the terminals 34, 35 on the inner side of body 24, being led thereto through lateral recesses 36, 37. If desired, there may be used unitary contact elements and lead wire terminals for side wiring of the type shown in the patent to Harrington 1,591,707 granted July 6, 1926. Or, the contacts and terminals may be separate members, conductively connected in any suitable manner. The important thought is that the contacts and terminals are secured to the body 24. An insulating cap plate 38 is secured on the back side of the base 24 by a yoke 39. The plate 38 serves as a cover to prevent dirt or bits of plaster from getting in around the contacts and serves also to hold the contacts in place as in the receptacle shown in the Harrington patent mentioned above.

The yoke 39 is turned inward at its ends to rest along the ends of the base and has endwise extending portions 40 and 41 which are slotted to receive the screws by which the base is attached to the wall outlet box in the usual manner. The face plate has recesses 42, 43 to receive the heads of the attaching screws. The details of the assembly of these parts is no part of this invention.

It is to be understood that this invention equally well may be embodied in a receptacle providing a single outlet or more than two outlets. The present showing of the duplex from is not intended to be restrictive but simply illustrative.

The merit of the invention will be apparent when considered in comparison with prior receptacles devised for the same purpose and conditions of use.

The present receptacle is assembled in two units, shown respectively in Figs. 1 and 2. One unit is the face plate of insulating material with mutually insulated wells on its inner side and having slots registering with these wells. The other unit is an assembly comprising a base having wells adapted to register with the wells of the face plate and having, in the wells, contacts which are secured to the base and are in conductive connection with terminals likewise secured to the base.

The base unit when assembled carries the contacts and terminals and may be secured in place in the wall outlet box before any work is done on the finishing of the walls. If desired, a piece of thin material, paper or the like. may be put over the base to keep the contacts clean until the face plate is put on. Then when the work of painting and finishing the walls is completed, the face plate is secured to the base by the single screw inserted from the outside. The plate could, of course, be secured to the wall or to the outlet box but the construction, as shown, is to be preferred.

By this two-unit arrangement the advantages of the older receptacles of the general type shown in the Hubbell patent mentioned above are retained together with the desirable features of those receptacles having a face plate of insulating material, yet the undesirable features of both general types are avoided. At the same time, the receptacle is capable of embodying the best practice in the arrangement of the-base contacts and terminals to provide insulation between parts of different polarity and to afford easy connection of the lead wires to the terminals. When the face plate is secured in position with respect to the base, the registering wells of the plate and base afford insulated chambers in which the engagements of the cap blades and base contact members take place.

I claim- 1. A flush receptacle composed of two units, and means for holding the units together, one unit being an integral face plate of insulating material adapted to rest on the wall, said plate having a boss on its back side with mutually insulated wells therein, and having openings in register with the wells; the other unit being an assembly comprising an insulating base having mutually insulated wells adapted to register with the wells of the face plate and a boss for supporting said face plate, contact members in said wells, lead wire terminals in conductive connection with said contact members, means for securing said terminals and contact members to said base and a yoke for attaching said assembly to an outlet box.

2. A flush receptacle composed of two units, and means for holding the units together, one unit being a face plate of insulating material adapted to rest on the wall, said plate having, on its back side, outstanding walls integral with it forming a well and having an opening through it in register with said well; the other unit being an assembly comprising a base of insulating material having a centrally positioned boss for supporting said face plate and a well, a contact member in the well and secured to the base, a lead wire terminal secured to the base and conductively connected to said contact member and a yoke for independently attaching said assembly to an outlet box. a

3. A flush receptacle comprising a base of insulating material adapted to be mounted independently in a wall, said base being recessed to provide wells and having a contact member in each well, the contact members being secured to the base, together with a face plate of insulating material adapted to rest against the wall and having bosses on its back side recessed to provide wells adapted to register with the wells in the base, said plate having openings in register with said wells to permit access of the contact members of a cap to the contact members of said base, and said base having a boss engaging said plate between the bosses thereon to support said plate.

4. A flush receptacle comprising a base of insulating material adapted to be mounted indeadapted to register with the wells in the base, said plate having openings in register with said wells to permit access of the contact members of a cap to the contact members of said base and said base having a centrally positioned boss to which said face plate is secured.

GILBERT W. GOODRIDGE. 

